1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bags, such as luggage, business cases, carry-on bags, totes and the like, and more particularly to a bag having incorporated therein an umbrella storage sleeve.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the most recurring problems for travelers in inclement weather is where to stow a wet umbrella when not in use. One surely cannot place a wet umbrella in a bag, as the contents of the bag will get wet. Likewise, carrying around a wet umbrella can be quite cumbersome and awkward.
Many different solutions have been attempted to solve this problem. First, many umbrellas feature a non-porous cover which can be placed over the umbrella. However, such a cover promotes mildew, as the wet umbrella placed inside the cover will not dry easily. Another attempted solution is simply opening the umbrella and placing it on the floor to promote quick drying. This is problematic because such space is not always available, as, for example, when a traveler is on an airplane or other public transportation. Further, this customary method can be an eye sore.
Yet another attempt to solve this problem is the umbrella stand or bucket method. This is where a stand is provided, usually near a front door of a home or office, to place or stow a wet umbrella. However, this approach is not practical while the traveler is in transit and, moreover, can lead to confusion in the identification of one""s umbrella.
There remains a need, therefore, for enabling a person in transit to properly stow a wet umbrella which will not pose an inconvenience.
It is an object of the present invention to fulfill the foregoing and other needs of the prior art by the provision of a bag, e.g., of the tote or hand-carried size, having an integral umbrella sleeve forming an open-ended pocket for the convenient storage and drying of an umbrella. The umbrella sleeve is preferably stowed in a pocket in the bottom of the bag, and may be extracted therefrom when needed to stow an umbrella. Once fully extracted, the umbrella sleeve may be temporarily affixed to the side of the bag with the open end upward. In this use position, an umbrella may be inserted into the umbrella sleeve to allow easy and discrete carrying of an umbrella whether wet or dry. When no longer needed, the umbrella sleeve may be returned to the stowed position at the bottom of the bag. The removal from and return to the stowed position is aided by a stiffened backing member of the umbrella sleeve, which provides the stiffness needed to easily insert the umbrella sleeve into the storage pocket.
In one embodiment of the invention, the umbrella sleeve is preferably made of an elastic mesh with a firm backing member on one side. The backing member preferably extends beyond the open end of the sleeve to provide a firm lip for gripping by the user. The umbrella sleeve is pulled from the storage pocket by pulling on the lip. Conversely, the umbrella sleeve is returned to the storage pocket by grasping the lip and pushing the umbrella sleeve back into the pocket. In this way, the umbrella sleeve may be stowed in the bottom of the bag or moved to a use position, affixed to the side of the bag, as desired, thus providing selectable storage of the umbrella sleeve, or storage of an umbrella in a revealed umbrella sleeve.